PM Anwar says ready to discuss plugging loopholes in anti-party hopping law with Perikatan
PUTRAJAYA, July 12 — The Anwar administration is ready to amend the Anti-Party Hopping Act 2022 to close loopholes that allow lawmakers to keep their seats after changing their political affiliations.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim indicated today that the ruling coalition has no problems discussing changes to the law with the Opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN).
“If they want to amend, we can talk. It can be amended. Let's discuss with orderly manners,” he told reporters after Friday prayers at Surau An-Najah here.
Anwar said that when the anti-party hopping law was being drafted, his Pakatan Harapan coalition had proposed that the law would take automatic effect whenever a lawmaker was sacked from his or her party.
But he said the suggestion was rejected by the government that was led by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin back then.
Muhyiddin was prime minister from March 2020 to August 2021.
“We recommend that whoever was axed by the party, will trigger it. But it was not approved by the government at the time, which was Bersatu.
“Because at that time, Umno politicians joined his party. So for me, if you want to amend, we can discuss it. He used to oppose it, many do not know,” Anwar said.
Calls for amending the anti-party hopping law reignited after Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul declared no vacancy in six parliamentary seats held by six MPs who were expelled from Bersatu for supporting Anwar.
